


Citizenship

by Cherry



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Happy Birthday Commander Smith, Levi being Levi, Levi x Erwin, Levi's catchphrase should be 'calm down', M/M, The ingratitude of politicians, eruri - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-14
Updated: 2013-10-14
Packaged: 2017-12-29 09:49:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1003957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cherry/pseuds/Cherry
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the titans are finally defeated the politicians celebrate with a victory parade and their highest honour - making Erwin Smith a full citizen of Sina. But a former underworld thug? Please - there are limits! </p><p>An Erwin birthday fic, although it may not sound like it!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Citizenship

“I don’t care.” Levi turned away to look out over the wall into what had recently been Titan territory. “You’ll represent all of us, at the victory parade, and after. I hear they’re planning a statue: marble and gold leaf. You’ll have literal golden hair forever. Bet they’ll even miss out the bald spot.”

Erwin’s hand went automatically to the top of his head. “I do not have a bald spot! Do I?”

Levi laughed softly. “Ah – you’re so vain! No, you don’t have a bald spot, old man. Not yet. Although it’s a miracle you don’t…”

“But really, you don’t think I’d accept anything from them, after this?” Erwin put his hand on Levi’s shoulder, and Levi leaned back against Erwin’s chest, closing his eyes. He felt Erwin’s body tense, muscles compensating to balance without the counterweight of his right arm, but Levi felt secure nonetheless. Erwin had always been able to bear his weight easily.

“It’s just politics. You know I don’t give a fuck. You have to represent the Corps, for the others. For all the others who survived – and the ones who didn’t.”

“But the ingratitude! I can’t believe –”

“Tch. They were right about me. I was a thug. A thug who turned out to be a really effective Titan killer, but that just proved their point, didn’t it? Can’t go making Sina citizens out of trash like that!”

“You were never just a thug. Even back then. You were a leader, too. You were always exceptional.”

Levi smiled. “I told them to their faces what a bunch of fucking cowardly freeloaders they were. They don’t forgive that kind of insult, because they know it’s true. Anyway, even if they begged me, I wouldn’t take their citizenship. I literally lived under their fat arses for years – and it makes me sick to think about all that time we spent grovelling to them, trying to persuade them to give us a budget we could operate on! Fuck them all.” Levi gave a derisive laugh, and turned to face Erwin, who only moved his hand down to rest between Levi’s shoulder blades. “They’re right not to want to thank me. I never did any of it for _them_.  And they don’t even seem to realise that their city means nothing, now. We can go anywhere we want. Fuck it, we could build our own city!”

Erwin raised his eyebrows, surprised. “That’s what you want to do?”

“No. But we _could_. All I’m saying is that there aren’t any walls anymore.”

“So why are you insisting that I accept this so-called honour? I can think of much better things to do on my birthday…” Erwin’s gaze settled heavy on Levi’s mouth, and Levi felt the heat rising in him, still, after all this time; always. He turned away before he gave in to it, and started to walk along the wall. Erwin followed him.  

“I’m insisting because it’s important,” Levi explained. “You know it is. I don’t know why you’re bothering to argue. You’re the one who’s always going on about morale and symbols – all that shit. I just kill titans - and that’s done, now.”

“Those things matter in wartime,” Erwin said. “But now it feels meaningless. And this slight to you –” Erwin’s fury almost choked him.

“Means nothing,” Levi said. “Calm down. There are other people it matters to. People it would have mattered to. The Survey Corps should be recognised, and you’re the commander of the Survey Corps. Not to mention perfect statue material. Strong, handsome… freakishly tall…”

“One-armed –”

“Like I said, perfect statue material. The embodiment of the hero’s sacrifice. Anyway, you should let them do it now, before they need silver instead of gold for your hair. Thirty-eight. Fuck. Never thought either of us would live that long.”

“It’s not _that_ old. And you’re changing the subject.”

“The subject is closed.”

“No. I can’t allow them to overlook your contribution. Without you none of us would be here! How can it not make you angry? It’s like that story – about the piper.”

“What story?”

“You know – the children’s story about the town with the plague of rats.”

“I don’t know it.”

Erwin glanced at Levi and away, remembering that, of course, there were no stories in Levi’s childhood, or at least not ones suitable for children.

“It’s about a town that gets overrun by giant rats. No one can get rid of them, until one day a piper turns up claiming that he’ll kill all the rats for a thousand guilders. The town council agrees, and he plays a tune that charms the rats so they all follow him to the river where they drown. But once the rat problem is dealt with the councillors refuse to pay up. The rats are dead – the councillors think they’re safe.”

Levi looked at Erwin. “I don’t see how that’s relevant. I never wanted to be a fucking citizen of Sina. I definitely never asked for it. So no one’s gone back on any kind of deal.”

 “That’s not the point! It’s about ingratitude. And that’s not the end of the story. When they refuse to pay him, the piper plays a different tune, and this time all the children in the town come out of their houses and follow him outside the town walls, up into the mountains, where they vanish and are never seen again.”

“So, what are you saying? I should go hunting for any last remaining titans and set them on the royal court? Can’t deny I’d love to see the look on their faces… Or are you talking about the children? Because we’ve already done that, haven’t we?”

Erwin stopped dead. “Levi –”

“Erwin, this isn’t about me, and it’s not about revenge, or people being the usual shits that people are. It’s about the Survey Corps, and their families, and remembering what they did. And it’s your fucking job, so go and do it. I even laid out your dress uniform and polished those damned boots you can never get a proper shine on, so don’t talk to me about ingratitude.” Levi’s fierce expression softened fractionally. “If I want any more fights, I’ll pick my own from now on.”

Erwin put his hand on Levi’s cheek, and looked into uncompromising grey-blue eyes. “You’ll be there, though?”

“Of course. I’ll be with the Corps.” Levi put his hand over Erwin’s for a moment, before he turned away. “Once it’s over, find me. Now, go and get changed. You’ve got a victory parade to attend.”

Erwin nodded, and turned to walk back along the wall.

“Oh, Erwin,” Levi called behind him, “almost forgot. Happy fucking birthday!” 


End file.
